On Saturday, March 21, Alfred University will host the first home baseball games at the team’s new field at the Saxon Hill Sports Complex. The first game of the Empire 8 Conference doubleheader against Houghton University begins at noon.
Prior to the start of the first game, celebratory first pitches will be thrown by Saxon Hill donors Terry Galanis Jr. H ’19, a current member of the University’s Board of Trustees, and Charlie Joyce H ’22, a Life Trustee. Also throwing out ceremonial first pitches will be Mark Zupan, Alfred University president, and Deb Steward, associate vice president for Student Experience, Athletics, and Recreation. The baseball facility will be officially known as Galanis Baseball Stadium with the press box named the Joyce Family Press Box. The home and visiting team dugouts recognize the support of Alfred University alumnus David Z. Chesnoff ’76.
Saxon Hill is a 40-acre sports and recreation facility located on 200 acres of land off Jericho Hill in the town of Alfred. The facility, which is near completion, includes the baseball stadium, with a press box/concession stand facility with restrooms; an outdoor track and field facility; a playing field with artificial surface, located in the infield of the track, which will be home to the Saxon field hockey team; a grass rugby field; a grandstands—with concession, media, and restroom facilities—serving the track and rugby field; the Saxon Sports Center, which will house locker space, an athletic training room, and offices.
The $30 million project is funded by a combination of bonds and philanthropic gifts; to date, more than $10 million has been raised through philanthropy.
The project is expected to be a boon for student-athlete recruitment and student retention, with the University estimating it will increase enrollment by approximately 170 students over the first six years of its opening. Saxon Hill will complement nearby existing sports, recreational, and academic facilities located in the area atop Jericho Hill. These include the Bromeley-Daggett Equestrian Center at Maris Cuneo Equine Park, home to Alfred University’s world-class equestrian program, and Foster Lake, which provides the campus community with numerous recreational and co-curricular opportunities.
